The Vandalism of the Mosaics in the Severan Synagogue in Hammat Tiberias

15 Pages·2015·1.97 MB·English

Rebecca Kasmin
The Vandalism of the Mosaics in
the Severan Synagogue in Hammat
Tiberias
Rebecca Kasmin
In the third and fourth century CE, the ancient city of Hammat Tiberias, located in
modern-day Israel, developed as a Jewish center. One of its synagogues, excavated
in the 1960s, contains a remarkable floor mosaic, one of the earliest synagogue
mosaics in the country. It is composed of several panels, depicting traditional Jewish
religious objects, as well as a zodiac wheel, complete with personifications of the
four seasons, plus the figure of the god Helios in the middle, riding in his chariot.
The extraordinary nature and circumstances of the mosaic and synagogue make its
recent vandalism all the more difficult to bear. This article analyzes the vandalism
of the mosaics that occurred on May 29, 2012, which seems most likely to be
attributable to the Haredim, an ultra-orthodox sect of Judaism. After a discussion
of the history of the site, and an analysis of the mosaics themselves, I discuss the
perpetrators and their motive, the physical damage, recent comparable acts, and
what could be done to prevent future attacks of a similar nature. One can only hope
that raising awareness of these acts will prevent them in the future.
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The Vandalism of the Mosaics in the Severan Synagogue in Hammat Tiberias
Introduction years later, the Romans, always quick to take
advantage of such a sought-after commodity,
In 1920, the unsuspecting Jewish Labor erected beautiful spas and turned the town into
Battalion was paving a road between the cities a popular resort.5 Hammat is mentioned as a
of Tiberias and Zemach in Israel. During medicinal spring in the writings of Pliny the
construction, the workers came across a Elder and of Josephus from the first century
startling find that made them stop in their C.E.6 The remains of the hot springs are also
tracks – they had unearthed the ancient town part of the Hammat Tverya National Park.
of Hammat Tiberias,1 part of the larger city
of modern-day Tiberias, or in Hebrew, Tverya. During the third and fourth century C.E.,
It was, in antiquity, and remains to this day, a Hammat Tiberias developed as a Jewish
famed tourist attraction on the western shore center, as is evident by the remains of many
of the Sea of Galilee, located in the Lower Jewish monuments in the town. It housed 13
Galilee area of Israel. Upon its discovery, there synagogues, and was the seat of the Sanhedrin
began an excavation of the site by the Jewish (the Jewish court), the Sidra Rabbah (the great
Palestine Exploration Society, from 1920-1921, academy), and the Patriarchate, which acted as
the organization’s first excavation.2 Digs have the official channel of communication between
been steadily ongoing for the last decade or the Roman Empire and its Jewish subjects.7
so, and archaeologists under the direction of The existence of these Jewish landmarks in
the Israel Antiquities Authority, or IAA, are Hammat Tiberias helped to create a national
still uncovering the main area of the ancient narrative for the modern Jewish state of
town. A grand archaeological national park Israel, as they were not only important in the
the Hammat Tverya National Park, was built history of the country, but also in the history
around the site, and is maintained by the Israel of Judaism. The Jewish community remained
Nature and Parks Authority, or INPA. a demographic majority in Hammat Tiberias,
and the Yeshiva of Palestine remained there
Hammat Tiberias until moving to Jerusalem in the mid-10th
century C.E.8
Hammat Tiberias is located south of the ancient
city of Tiberias, and north of the el-Hamam Of the thirteen synagogues that once stood in
springs, between the Sea of Galilee and the Hammat Tiberias, two have been excavated.
mountains, and it therefore functioned both as The first was uncovered in 1921 by writer and
the southern suburb of Tiberias, and also as translator Nachum Slouschz.9 The excavation
a center for therapeutic baths, because of the of this temple was a watershed event in the
area’s natural hot springs.3 Hammat Tiberias history of Israeli archaeology, as it was the
was the source of 17 hot mineral springs with first synagogue excavation conducted under
a temperature of over 60° Celsius.4 Many Jewish auspices.10 The number of excavations
Figure 1: The Greek dedicatory inscription in the mosaic floor on the Eastern side of the
Severan Synagogue. (Modified from photograph by Shulamit Miller).
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Rebecca Kasmin
Figure 3: The eight-panel Greek dedicatory inscription in the
mosaic floor of the Severan.
Figure 2: A floor plan of the Severan Synagogue,
showing the location of the mosaic panels.
Synagogue (Wikimedia Commons).
in Israel since this important moment in
Israeli archaeology is a testament to the value
placed upon the practice. Moshe Dothan, the
Deputy Director of the Israeli Department
of Antiquities and Museums,11 directed the
excavation of Hammat Tiberias and the second
synagogue in 1960s.12 This second synagogue
turned out to be the remains of the Severan
Synagogue from the fourth century C.E. It
was identified as such by a mosaic inscription
in Greek, found in the floor on the eastern
side of the synagogue. The inscription is
translated by the INPA as: “Severos disciple of
the most illustrious patriarchs who completed
[it]. Blessings on him and on Ioullos the
supervisor” (fig. 1). Severos was a pupil of
these “most illustrious Patriarchs,” who are Figure 4: The zodiac wheel in the mosaic floor in the
Severan Synagogue (Moshe Dothan, Israel Exploration
most likely the Jewish religious leaders Hillel II
Society, 1983).
and his father Jude II.13
The Severan Synagogue Mosaic were predominantly treated as a carpet; an
extensive surface on which scenes and motifs
Within the Severan Synagogue, a remarkable could be displayed.14 The main mosaic in the
floor mosaic was discovered, one of the most Severan Synagogue consists of three panels
impressive in the country. The majority of (fig. 2), and the bottom-most panel contains
mosaics found in Tiberias and Hammat date eight dedicatory inscriptions in Greek, flanked
from the third through the mid-eighth century on either side by lions (fig. 3). The middle
C.E., many of them inlaid into floors. Floors panel depicts a zodiac wheel, with images
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The Vandalism of the Mosaics in the Severan Synagogue in Hammat Tiberias
of the four seasons in the corners, and the
pagan god Helios in the center (fig. 4). The
zodiac wheel itself consists of a double circle,
divided into 12 voussoir-shaped segments,
each depicting a sign of the zodiac facing
outward, and accompanied by an Aramaic
inscription labeling the sign. Subsequently,
after the original construction of the Severan
Synagogue, at least two reconstructions of
the synagogue were built on top of it, and
due to a change in orientation – to better face
Jerusalem15 – a wall was built straight across the
zodiac mosaic, partially obliterating some of
the motifs. The signs of Cancer and Sagittarius
have been completely destroyed by this wall’s
construction, Gemini and Scorpio are partially
damaged, and the Helios image is half cut-off
(fig. 4).
The zodiac signs have elaborate coloring, and
are rendered in fine detail, an effect achieved
through the use of small tesserae. The Aries
sign is depicted as a ram, mid-leap, with a
luxuriant tail (fig. 5a); the Taurus as a charging
bull, tail upright (fig. 5b); one of the twins
of the Gemini sign has been lost, but the
preserved twin is a male youth with brown
hair, standing nude (fig. 5c); the Leo sign is
depicted as a roaring, pouncing lion (fig. 5d);
Virgo as a maiden standing with a torch ablaze
in her left hand, wearing a long, red tunic, with
a gray mantle over it (fig. 5e); Libra is a young,
standing male, nude, save for a gray cape over
his shoulder, holding a scale in one hand, and a
golden scepter in the other (fig. 5f); the Scorpio
sign, though half-destroyed, remains as the
posterior of a darkly-colored scorpion (fig.
5g); Capricorn is depicted as a creature with
the head, torso, and front legs of a goat, and
the rear haunches and tail of a fish (fig. 5h);
the Aquarius is a standing, nude male youth,
leaning back and pouring water out of a large
golden jug from over his shoulder (fig. 5i);
the Pisces is depicted as two similar-looking
fish, swimming past each other in opposite
directions (fig. 5j).
Figure 5a-d (top to bottom): Aries, Taurus, Gemini,
Leo (Photograph by Shulamit Miller).
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Rebecca Kasmin
Figure 5e-f (top to bottom): Virgo, Libra
(Photograph by Shulamit Miller)
These mosaics are of particular importance
as well because it is the first time that Jews
are known to have used the zodiac in their
synagogue decorations.16 The use of the
zodiac wheel was quite common in ancient
synagogues, as there are many examples, but
less common was the representation of the
pagan sun god Helios in the center (see fig. 4);
to date, only seven zodiac panels incorporating
Helios have been uncovered, all in synagogues,
all within Israel.17 While every other element in
the mosaic is labeled, Helios is the only element
that is not, perhaps expressing some discomfort
of the use of this borrowed iconography.18
The god is depicted as a magnificent figure,
crowned with a halo, and protruding seven rays
of light from his head. His right hand is raised,
as if waving, and he holds in his left hand a
globe and a whip. He is flanked on either
side by the moon and a star, which, given the
Figure 5g-j (top to bottom): Scorpio,
context, could be seen as either the Sun or just Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces
a star in general. He wears a long-sleeved blue (Photograph by Shulamit Miller)
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The Vandalism of the Mosaics in the Severan Synagogue in Hammat Tiberias
tunic, with a red cape draped over his shoulder.
Although the depiction is cut off and damaged
by the construction of the later wall, there exist
the hints of horses’ hoofs and a mane, as well
as clouds and water, which may imply that the
mosaic once showed Helios rising from the sea
on his quadriga.
The spandrels between the outer circle of the
zodiac and the framing square are occupied
by four female busts, personifying the four
seasons. Each season is accompanied by a
Aramaic inscription identifying it, as well as
by attributes representing the agricultural
activities of the season, and the location of
each bust corresponds with the appropriate
signs of the zodiac that fall under each season.
Spring is represented as a young brown-haired
woman, wearing a red tunic and gray mantle,
with part of her wavy hair put up, and the rest
hanging down over her shoulders (fig. 6a). She
also wears a wreath of flowers on her head,
as well as a necklace and bracelet. She raised
her right hand, holding a bowl of flower buds,
and a budding flower grows up behind her.
Summer is represented in a similar manner
to Spring (fig. 6b), but depicted as holding a
sickle, and with a sheaf of grain instead of a
flower growing behind her. She wears a wreath
of leaves, and her curly brown hair falls behind
her shoulders. Autumn, dressed similarly to the
other seasons, has her hair mostly covered by
Figure 6a-d (top to bottom): Spring, Summer, Autmn,
a large wreath, which, according to Shulamit Winter (Photograph by Shulamit Miller)
Miller, contain figs and pomegranates (fig. 6c).
She raises her hand up, holding a grapevine to Miller, the combination of these elements
branch as well as another branch with leaves, – the zodiac, the four seasons, and the pagan
which could be an olive branch.19 The panel god Helios – is unique to synagogue mosaic
that portrays Winter is partially damaged, but pavements of the Byzantine period, though the
still depicts a woman wearing a gray tunic, use of pagan elements within the synagogue
whose head is covered by a mantle (fig. 6d). At is not inconsequential. The reasons for these
her left shoulder is jar with an S-shaped handle, iconographic choices may likely be linked
with water spurting out. for the most part to the preferences of the
mosaics’ patrons, who were in turn subject to
The mosaic floor at this synagogue was the changing fashions and tastes of the times.
executed some time in the 360s C.E. by a Perhaps the mosaic exudes a pagan mood
workshop of the highest class, brought to just because Hillel II had nothing but pagan
Israel from one of the great metropolises of calendar models to choose from. Even with the
the Roman Empire, possibly Alexandria, Nea appearance of pagan iconography, the mosaics
Paphos, Antiochia or Apamea.20 According contain a few minor modifications to symbolize
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Rebecca Kasmin
the new Jewish liturgical calendar, such as the
introduction of the motif of the moon and
stars, and choosing to use the 12 signs of the
zodiac instead of the 12 months.21 However, it
is possible that, given the geographic diversity,
and the extended time period during which
these symbols were used, the interpretations
and ramifications varied from one community
to the next, making it problematic to offer a
single interpretation applicable for all cases.
The uppermost panel of the floor mosaic in
the synagogue depicts a Torah ark with an
ornamental curtain, flanked by two seven-
branch candelabras, or menorahs (fig. 7a). This Figure 7b-d (top left going clockwise): detail of the
imagery appeared in both Jewish and Samaritan coal pan , shofar, lulav and etrog (Photograph by
Shulamit Miller)
synagogue mosaics, and also in bas-reliefs and
ritual objects.22 This part of the mosaic also
The Vandalism
contained other important Jewish symbols,
such as a coal pan (fig. 7b), the shofar (fig. 7c)
On 29 May 2012, severe vandalism of
– a horn made from a ram’s horn used during
the Severan Synagogue was discovered by
the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah – and a
employees of the INPA.25 The night before,
ceremonial palm frond, or lulav branch, with
vandals had sprayed graffiti and torn up the
its accompanying citron, or etrog (fig. 7d), used
mosaic. Blue and black spray paint covered the
during the holiday of Sukkot. These features
floor mosaic, obscuring ancient Aramaic and
commonly appeared together in imagery
Greek inscriptions (fig. 8), and slogans were
from Palestinian and diaspora communities,
scrawled along the rock walls of the synagogue
and distinguished representations of Jewish
(figs. 9-10). Some parts of the mosaic were
menorahs from Samaritan ones,23 which were
smashed with a hammer, and ground to a
otherwise similar, due to the fact that there was
fine powder, while other parts were badly
a population of Samaritan Israelites.24
scratched.26 The zodiac wheel in particular
appears to have been hit by a pickax, and Dror
Ben Yosef of the IAA was quoted as saying,
“the perpetrators drilled a hole in the drawing
of the Holy Ark and damaged the menorah
drawing as well. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz
reported that the vandals “worked very hard
trying to take apart the floor,” and “one corner
of the mosaic was completely taken apart.”27
Several holes were also gouged in the mosaic
floor (fig. 11).28 IAA deputy director Uzi
Dahari said a fringe group of extremist ultra-
Orthodox Jews, called the Haredim, were
suspected of causing the damage.29 However,
as of the publication of this paper, there was
Figure 7a: Torah ark and menorahs no claim of responsibility by the Haredim, but
mosaic (Photograph by Moshe Dothan, they appear to tend not to do so after their
Israel Exploration Society, 1983)
attacks.
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The Vandalism of the Mosaics in the Severan Synagogue in Hammat Tiberias
Figure 8 (left): Spray paint over the inscription mosaic
(Photograph by Moti Dolev).
Figure 9 (below): Spray paint on the synagogue walls
(Photograph by Moti Dolev).
Two of the slogans spray-painted onto the
walls that night said, “a site for every grave
[desecrated],”30 and “a response over the
years,”31 referring to the other, similar acts of
vandalism that have been carried out at other
archaeological sites in Israel.32 Another piece of
graffiti said, “For Shuka,” most likely referring
to Yehoshua “Shuka” Dorfman, the head of
the IAA.33 This targeting of Dorfman was just
one occurrence out of a string of many, as
he has repeatedly been the victim of attacks
perpetrated by young Haredi Jews.34 Besides an archaeologist for the IAA, the mosaic was
the emotional tolls that this vandalism had also unique because it listed the names of the
on Dorfman and other members of the IAA, synagogue’s chief patrons in ancient Aramaic,
it had huge ramifications in both a historic- Latin and Greek as well.38
archaeological and religious context. As Ben
Yosef said about the mosaics, “whoever Haaretz reported that Ben Yosef posited that
vandalized it desecrated its holiness. These the synagogue was “probably the site where the
people damaged our historic heritage.”35 Jerusalem Talmud was completed,” and Dina
Avshalom-Gurney, the head archaeologist of
Not only were these mosaics some of the the Eastern Galilee and Golan region of the
best preserved of its period according to IAA, stated that “it will never be the same
archaeologists,36 they were also unique. mosaic that people prayed on 1,600 years ago…
According to Miller, the iconography and you can feel and learn here how people once
motifs found in these mosaics at Hammat lived, prayed, studied and talked. It will never
Tiberias fit in to the repertoire of mosaic be the same. We’re facing a vandalist drive
art in the region throughout the late Roman against heritage sites that’s gaining momentum.
and Byzantine periods, but are distinctive in Something has to be done to stop it.”39 She
the combination of their elements. In some goes on further to say that “the damage is
aspects, such as the appearance of Helios irreversible, it’s doubtful we will be able to see
and the zodiac, the mosaic art in Tiberias the mosaic like it was before…the mosaic floor
may have been “trend setting,” since this was here for 1,600 years until these vandals
is the first-known appearance not only of destroyed so many years of history.”40 The
Helios in a synagogue setting, but also of the site served as a center for research, and thus
combination of Helios with the zodiac and the the vandalism of these mosaics not only takes
seasons in a single panel, and in conjunction away from the impact of the unique features
with the adjacent panel of Jewish symbols.37 of these mosaics, but also their importance
Additionally, according to Gilad Kinamon, in learning about the history of the various
cultures that occupied ancient Israel.41
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Rebecca Kasmin
Figure 10: Spray paint on the
synagogue walls (Photograph by
Moti Dolev).
Figure 11: Hole drilled in Torah ark
mosaic (Photograph by Moti Dolev).
According to Dahari, “It was the best of Hellenistic motif.”44 The vandalism is further
Jewish art of its time, of the late Roman and attributable to the Haredim due to the fact that
early Byzantine period,” and the perpetrators ultra-Orthodox Jews have frequently turned up
“destroyed what was in front of them without to many of Kinamon’s archaeological sites in
thinking.”42 The vandalism is most likely the past to demonstrate, sometimes violently,
attributable to the Haredim – being the most against his work that supposedly involved
theologically conservative stream of Orthodox Jewish gravesites.45 For instance, just a week
Judaism – firstly because, for very religious before the incident at Hammat Tiberias, a
Jews, the disturbance of Jewish graves is a similar case of vandalism was discovered at
deeply offensive act, and secondly because of Tel Yavne, in which a kiln dating back to the
the Haredi’s previous threats against the IAA sixth century C.E., used for making ceramic
and its employees, paired with the fact that the vessels, was spray painted with the question:
graffiti statement “a site for every grave” refers “What’s more important – a kiln, or honoring
to the IAA’s excavation of Jewish graves from the dead?”46 The attack on the kiln was also
antiquity.43 If perpetrated by the Haredim, attributed to ultra-Orthodox opponents of the
their beliefs can be seen as at least a partial archaeological excavations, and additionally,
explanation of the severity of the damage to in the past two months, several other
the mosaics, and why the vandals lashed out in archaeological sites have been damaged as
such a manner. However, it seems strange that, well, and the attacks attributed to the Haredim:
of all the religious and ethnic groups to have another rare mosaic from the Byzantine era was
attacked a synagogue, it was a group of Jews, smashed up and covered with Hebrew graffiti
and very devout ones at that. – reading “the magnitude of destruction equals
the magnitude of desecration” – at Khirbet
According to Ben Yosef, the reason why they Hanut site in the Elah Valley just outside
would attack this Jewish site is that “there are Jerusalem,47 and a container holding artifacts
Haredim who believe that if a zodiac wheel is was set on fire in the city of Afula in northern
drawn there, it can’t really be a synagogue…the Israel.48 Avshalom-Gorni added that “public
zodiac wheel, in this case, is actually a Judaized servants who safeguard our historical heritage
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The Vandalism of the Mosaics in the Severan Synagogue in Hammat Tiberias
have also been threatened recently…it’s justification for such a cheap shot against the
definitely a frightening situation.”49 Regarding fundamental values of our culture,” and added
the mosaics at Hammat Tiberias in particular, that he hoped the police would bring the
if opposition to archaeological work was in culprits to justice for their crimes.53 Avshalom-
fact the motivation behind the attacks, experts Gorni stated that conservation and restoration
bitterly noted that the vandals irrevocably work on the mosaic would be carried out, but it
damaged and desecrated the very site whose would not be enough.54 According to Neguer,
sanctity they purportedly wanted to uphold.50 the damage to the site and the mosaics was
immediately repaired by the Conservation
Haaretz reported that a police spokesman Department of the IAA, with one exception:
said that the Tiberias police are investigating the Northeast corner of the mosaic, which was
the case, while the authority is trying to completely destroyed. This part will take more
tally the damages and figure out if anything time to be restored and the work will be done
can be restored. After the discovery of the according to the existing documentation using
vandalism, one employee burst into tears the original stones of the mosaic. According to
when viewing the vandals’ work, and another an announcement released by the INPA, the
stated, “Afghanistan is right here.”51 Though mosaics have been closed off to visitors since
the specific vandals have not been identified, July 1, 2014, and will be until March 1, 2015,
authorities are still investigating “the authors for conservation of the floor panels.
of the awful act of vandalism,” according to
Jacques Neguer, Head of Art Conservation The Haredim
at the IAA, whom I contacted in December
2014, and was kind enough to elaborate on With all of the tension that has constantly been
the current situation at Hammat Tiberias. plaguing Israel of late, it is a great pity that such
INPA Director General Shaul Goldstein devastation might have been undertaken by the
stated that those at the organization “view Haredim, within their own culture and religion.
the incident at Hammat Tverya in the severest Though if the ideology of the Haredim is
light and will work to see that the offenders considered, one can begin to understand why
are punished. These are cultural and heritage they did what they did at Hammat Tiberias
sites that are hundreds of years old…this is and elsewhere. What unites the Haredim is
millions’ of shekels worth of damage, but their absolute reverence for the teachings of
as soon as we have an exact estimate we will the Torah, including both the Written and Oral
begin the long restoration process.”52 As of Law. It is thus the central and determining
the publication of this paper, there have been factor in all aspects of life, and consequently,
no disciplinary actions taken regarding the many Haredim are fundamentally opposed
vandalism. The individual perpetrators of the to a secular, modern, pre-messianic Jewish
physical vandalism must certainly be punished state. Though resistant to active participation
if identified, as should any authority figure and affiliation with Israel’s mostly secular
within any organization, religious or otherwise, democracy, Haredi political groups function
responsible for suggesting or planning the with the aim of aligning Israel’s policies with
attack at Hammat Tiberias and other ancient halakhah, or Jewish law.55 The Haredim’s
sites. ardent and uncompromising devotion to their
principles led to the formation of the Atra
The vandals caused widespread and irreversible Kadisha, a small extremist ultra-Orthodox
damage, and Goldstein says, “It’s impossible group, which in the 1950s, took upon itself
to put a price on damage done to pieces of the goal of protecting Jewish graves from
heritage from centuries ago… There is no disturbance. All ultra-Orthodox groups agree
that exhuming graves is not legitimate, and
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